Rafah crossing reopens after brief closure, allowing limited medical evacuations from Gaza

After a two-day halt, the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt reopened Sunday, offering a narrow but vital route for Palestinians seeking medical care abroad under a fragile cease-fire deal that has eased some movement after years of closure.

The crossing, which is Gaza’s only gateway that was not fully controlled by Israel before the war, resumed limited operations with a small group of patients and relatives beginning to travel into Egypt for treatment. 

According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, “17 medical evacuees and 27 companions had begun the crossing into Egypt,” with a similar number expected to go back into Gaza.

Despite the opening, the flow of people has been far smaller than the tens of thousands of Palestinians who need urgent medical care outside the territory, many of whom have illnesses or injuries that Gaza’s strained health system cannot address. 

Over the first several days, just 36 patients and 62 companions were able to leave for treatment, according to U.N. data cited in reports.